Wheel & Tire complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl contact owns a 2002 Ford Escort. The contact purchased two Bridgestone potenza g009 (na) summer tires (size 205/40/r17) on May 12, 2007. One of the tires exploded as the contact's wife was driving 25 MPH. The tread separated from the tire and the sidewalls separated from the beads. Bridgestone stated that she must have struck something in the road to cause the blow out. She informed them that she did not drive over any potholes. The contact stated that the tread on the tires still looks brand new and there is less than 10,000 miles left on them. The dot number May not be accurate. The tire failure mileage was 9,500 and the vehicle current and failure mileages were 97,000.
12/01/05, 03/08/07.11/19/07 had to replace tie-rod ion my 2002 Ford Escort. Noticed thumping, took to mechanic. He said had I not brought it in, there could have been very serious consequences. This frequency of these incidents seems to indicate a serious and dangerous defect in this car.
My wife was returning home from the hospital where our daughter received outpatient chemo therapy . At the first light leaving the hospital the car started shaking. My daughter thought her door was open , so she opened the door and closed it to verify the door was closed. They entered the highway and went about 1/4 mile and the car made a rumbling noise and 1 or 2 minutes later the car felt like it was draging something. My wife pulled over immediately to the side of the freeway and called me. I went down to assist her in changing the flat tire.the tire side wall on the outside of the tire seperated in several places . There are 11 places where the belts seperated causing instantious failure.. All seperations occured on the outside of the tire. There is no sign of anything puncturing the tire to cause it to go flat. …
Large chunks of tread came off the inside of the front left tire, and cracks had developed on the side wall. This result in the vehicle shaking severely while driving. The dealership will be contacted.
Firestone 710 tires. Less than 20,000 miles, tread is gone, does not handle on ice and snow. Tires are sold in minnesota, were it snows a lot. Tires rotated once so company will not stand by 65,000 mile warranty. Highway miles, no reason for tread to have worn off so soon. Please check if tire is defective and if should be sold in areas where it snows quite often. I have almost gone off the road many times this winter, seems like your gliding on air.
Original tires on a Ford, Escort, 1999, p185/60r15, Eagle rsa. Consumer took car to wallmart for inspection, and mech noticed tires where splitting. Consumer took vehicle to a tire shop, and they said that the tires were separating, like the Firestone tires. Good year refused to replace the worn out tires.
Hello, my complaint concerns the rear coil springs of '98 ish escorts. In my case, the first spring failed at about 80,000 kms and the second was confirmed just today while having a tire replaced due to a puncture. Three garages have made unsolicited comments concerning the awful coils delivered with the car wondering if they (the rear coils) had failed yet. Initially I was skeptical of the mechanics motives; now I just fume when I hear these comments. If this is such a problem, why isn't Ford making arrangements to redress this problem? Now I'm wondering whether that busted coil was responsible for yesterday's punctured tire - the garage thought this was certainly not out of the question.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Ford Escort. The tire brand was bridge stone insignia sl, tire size was p175/65r14. The dot was unknown. While driving approximately 67 MPH, the contact stated that the front right passenger tire blew out without warning. The tires were on the vehicle when it was purchased. The dealer nor the manufacturer were notified. There were no recalls or warranties on the tires. The current and failure mileages were approximately 150,000. Updated 02/08/11 update 02/14/11
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Escort years have wheel & tire problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1997 (15), 1999 (14), 1995 (9), 1996 (7) and 1998 (6) model years. Wheel & Tire complaints make up 3% of all complaints for the 1997.
Is there a recall for Ford Escort wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires recall for any Ford Escort model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Ford Escort wheel & tire problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 103,000 miles; 35% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the tread/belt (10 mentions), followed by the sidewall (5).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.